The Voice for the St. Louis Construction Industry

MO

The Learning Experience early childhood center in St. Peters, MO is complete and open, with Knoebel Construction serving as the general contractor. This newly built location is the first to be built to the brand’s new design prototype. The 10,000-square-foot facility features ten, colorful classrooms; a spacious outdoor, fenced play area with soft turf; kitchen; offices; reception area; and an interactive, whimsical classroom that features a miniature Main Street, USA. The architect was CASCO + R|5.

The design goal of The Learning Experience’s purpose-built centers is to create an environment where children feel comfortable, safe and ready to learn. Additional facility features include secure, private access; rounded corners in hallways and classrooms; and bathrooms designed for age-appropriate use.

The Learning Experience in St. Peters will open this Fall. One of the fastest-growing childcare franchises in the United States, 300 The Learning Experience early education centers are open or under development.

Knoebel Construction, Inc. is a national general contractor specializing in retail center, multi-use, restaurant, grocery, healthcare and retail store construction. Projects range from major regional shopping centers to local restaurants. For more information, visit www.knoebelconstruction.com or call (636) 326-4100.

M Property Services (MPS) proudly welcomes Tech Mahindra Ltd., a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting, business reengineering and software solutions, to its WingHaven development in O’Fallon, MO.

Tech Mahindra held a ribbon cutting for its new 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Center of Excellence on June 3, 2019 in the Summit Place building at 2342 Technology Drive. M Property Services, which manages the building, worked with the landlord’s U.S. broker to land this major deal for the building.

“Due to the many amenities throughout O’Fallon and the WingHaven development, we were able to invite a world-class tech company to open a facility within the city’s boundaries which would allow it to continue supporting world-class companies in O’Fallon, MO and numerous other large companies outside of the O’Fallon area,” said MPS Chairman Paul McKee, Jr. “So many of Tech Mahindra’s employees currently live in O’Fallon and WingHaven, so the location for the new technology center was ideal.”

The new technology center will focus on developing cutting-edge technologies in areas such as micro services, automation, artificial intelligence, security, machine learning, cloud computing, big data, data and analytics, and blockchain. The center intends to create local employment opportunities and will leverage Tech Mahindra’s learning and development platforms to help train local talent in key digital skills.

“We are delighted to see that Tech Mahindra is expanding its presence and involvement in St. Louis with such significant investments and promising projects. Tech Mahindra’s investment in the experiential learning program designed for our students and young professionals, along with creation of local employment opportunities will further support us in building the future of St. Louis,” said Bill Hennessy, O’Fallon City Mayor.

The new Technology Center is in line with Tech Mahindra’s TechMNxt charter, which focuses on leveraging next generation technologies and solutions, like artificial intelligence, to disrupt and enable digital transformation, and to build and deliver cutting-edge technology solutions and services to address real world problems to meet the customer’s evolving and dynamic needs.

“As part of our TechMNxt charter, we are committed to inspire our partner ecosystem, academia and employees to focus on innovation in next gen technologies and customer experience. We believe it is our responsibility to invest in the local communities we operate in, and this is a step towards supporting increase in employability of future technologists, and delivering enhanced experience to our customers globally. We look forward to seeing the innovations that come out of this center as we develop real-world solutions for a digital future,” said CP Gurnani, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Tech Mahindra.

The new Melvin Brewing in Eureka, MO is complete and open, with Knoebel Construction serving as the general contractor. The 12,700-square-foot brewpub seats 276 guests and features a full-service bar and restaurant as well as a brewery. Eureka is the fourth location for the Wyoming-based craft beer maker, distributor, and restaurateur.

Melvin Brewing in Eureka was built to merge a fully functioning brewery and an entertainment experience. Surrounded by a game room, a private event space and a full bar, the brewery is equipped to brew and package 1,500 barrels of beer. Loading docks will facilitate shipping of product to 15 states. Other features include outdoor patio seating for 50 guests, outdoor gathering spaces with firepit, a lounge area and a retail store.

Knoebel converted an existing space consisting of a restaurant, retail stores and storage spaces into the new brewpub.

The new Melvin Brewing Eureka features more than 20 selections on tap and an Asian-influenced pub fare menu. The location is expected to create 45 jobs.

Knoebel Construction, Inc. is a national general contractor specializing in retail center, multi-use, restaurant, grocery, healthcare and retail store construction. Projects range from major regional shopping centers to local restaurants. Founded in 1981, Knoebel Construction provides full-service development and general contracting services. For more information, visit www.knoebelconstruction.com or call (636) 326-4100.

Women Construction Owners and Executives National President Sheila A Ohrenberg and Regional Director Dianna Richardson lead a meeting with local Women Construction Owners, Maureen E Brinkley, District Director and Adrienne Foster, Region 7 Advocate of the Small Business Administration, to discuss self-certification and upcoming opportunities for Women Construction Owners in Saint Louis, Missouri.

“Saint Louis is in need of a strong women’s organization”, Maureen E Brinkley, District Director, St Louis District Director Small Business Administration.
The event ignites a continued synergy for WCOE with more events to come including industry educational events, minority and women coalition meetings and networking events promoting women in construction industry.

The Core Purpose of WCOE:To promote the role of women-owned businesses in the construction industry, to advance women in executive management positions within the industry, to provide resources to enhance the professional development of every member, to provide a network of executive women in the construction industry for peer-to-peer assistance and information, and to monitor and pursue legislation advantageous to women in general and the construction industry in particular.

For the second year in a row, volunteers with the Electrical Connection will be donating skills and services to make electrical improvements to the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America’s S Bar F Scout Ranch near Farmington, Mo. The camp has served generations of scouts throughout eastern Missouri for more than 50 years.

On Saturday, May 18, 2019, about 30 volunteers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and seven electrical contractor members of the National Electrical Contractors Associations (NECA) will donate services to repair and improve electrical systems. Many of those helping will be IBEW trade workers who have dedicated countless hours as scoutmasters, like Ken Edgar. Edgar is a fourth generation IBEW electrician.

“Two of my kids have been in the Boy Scouts and we have thoroughly enjoyed the experience at the S Bar F ranch,” said Edgar. “We want to make it an even better experience for the next generation of scouts.” Edgar will be joined by his sons, Ken IV, who is also an IBEW electrician and Alex, who is a junior in high school.

Improvements will be made to five different camps on the 5,200-acre site to bring them up to 21st century standards, including:

Upgrading electrical and lighting needs for the Swift Base Camp, where the Boy Scout staff stays;

Improving electrical systems to the Healthcare Lodge.

“The Electrical Connection members are setting a great example for our scouts by their service to the community,” said Anthony Fouts, director of camping services for the Boy Scouts.

“Our members are eager to help and will ensure all wiring and installations met the standards of the National Electrical Code,” said Lee Asher, business representative, IBEW Local 1.

Among the NECA contractors that donated service trucks and tools to complete the work were Aschinger Electric Co.; Bell Electrical; RJP Electric, LLC;Sachs Electric Co; Schaeffer Electric, TriStar Electric and Warren County Electric, LLC.

IBEW/NECA unite to form the Electrical Connection, now celebrating its 26th anniversary. Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. For more information, visit www.electricalconnection.org.

A fast-growing pet care manufacturing firm with roots in western St. Charles County plans to break ground this spring on a 200,000-square-foot, $25.7 million global headquarters in O’Fallon.

Wentzville-based Cosmos Corporation employs more than 100 people and anticipates creating at least 60 more full-time jobs over the next several years, according to Amanda Roessler, office administrator for TropiClean Pet Products, one of Cosmos’ well-known pet care brands.

Founded by the Kassebaum family as a beauty products distributor in 1980, Cosmos entered the pet grooming industry five years later. Its roots have been in Missouri for 30 years. The company didn’t have the space to grow at its existing site in Wentzville, so it searched for another viable site within the same labor market. Cosmos found the ideal spot in O’Fallon, according to City of O’Fallon Economic Development Director Patrick McKeehan. The location is 521 Pearl Drive on the northeast side of O’Fallon near the MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. plant off Missouri Highway 79.

“This is a project we’ve been working on for almost one year,” said McKeehan, adding that the Missouri Dept. of Economic Development and the City of O’Fallon are supporting the company’s growth via the state’s Missouri Works Program and local Chapter 100 bonding authority.

“Cosmos’ opportunities in overseas markets are growing quickly,” McKeehan said. “This industry leader needed to grow its workforce and production capacity to keep pace with demand. Cosmos’ brands and its more than 150 products are available at nearly all major retailers. They are also supplying products to more than 65 countries.”

The family-owned business operates a separate foundation, Gifts of Love, with the mission of giving back and improving lives in the process. Gifts of Love’s headquarters will also operate in the future building that Cosmos will call its corporate home. Cosmos CEO Landon Hobson said a significant portion of TropiClean’s revenue goes directly to Gifts of Love to support the poor, widowed, orphaned and needy.

“We are very excited to continue our growth here in Missouri at our new O’Fallon headquarters,” said Hobson. “We appreciate the excellent business climate and workforce that the state and St. Louis area has to offer and look forward to bringing even more jobs to the region.”

Cosmos expects to move into its future O’Fallon headquarters in early 2020.

Leonardo DRS Inc. recently broke ground on its new engineering development and light manufacturing facility and offices in Bridgeton, Missouri, to accommodate its growing Land Systems line of business.

The company is investing in a new, best-in-class engineering, research and development and laboratory space to serve as the focal point for the majority of the business unit’s development and platform systems integration activities. This move will permit the company’s operations to grow and continuing to serve its U.S. military customer while supporting the region for years to come.

The $32 million build-to-suit facility is being developed by U.S. Capital Development.

The event was attended by U.S. Representative Ann Wagner, Terry Briggs, Mayor, Bridgeton, Mo., and Aaron Hankins, Vice President and General Manger, Leonardo DRS Land Systems business unit, and other local representatives.

The Leonardo DRS Land Systems business unit is a recognized leader in the design and integration of complex technologies into new and legacy systems and platforms for global military and commercial customers. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Leonardo DRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A. See the full range of capabilities at www.LeonardoDRS.com<http://www.LeonardoDRS.com> and on Twitter @LeonardoDRSnews.

Construction on Independent Retirement Community Expected to Begin in Spring 2019

As the population of Baby Boomers ages in unprecedented numbers, the need for senior housing throughout the United States is increasing. The demographic growth for seniors in the City of Wildwood, MO, a suburb of St. Louis County, is a witness to that trend. Initial market research indicates a projected need for independent living retirement apartments in the Wildwood area and vicinity.

St. Louis-based developer Landwide Development Corporation (LDC) has plans to build a $22 million mixed-use, market-rate independent senior living community in the heart of Wildwood called The Prime Place at Wildwood Town Center to accommodate those active seniors.

Located at the corner of Main and Eastgate streets, the proposed development is within the city’s town center and within walking distance of a pharmacy, movie theater, restaurants, hotel, grocery store, gym, doctor offices, parks and trails, and other shopping.

“Our senior living community provides a new kind of independence, unlike anything else in the area. Our development will encourage residents to remain active within downtown Wildwood and promote interaction between residents and their families within the surrounding business, shopping and entertainment area. The Town Center district offers access to many important services and choices that will help our residents remain independent, healthy and active,” said Landwide Development Corp. President Michael E. Kennedy, Sr. “We refer to our development as the state rooms on the cruise ship, and the stores around it is the deck of the ship. I can’t think of any place safer than Wildwood Town Center.”

Landwide plans to begin pre-leasing the apartments in December 2018, with a ground breaking planned in summer 2019. Although the community will not be completed until 2020, interested seniors will be able to view model and perspective renderings of the apartments and lobby areas by visiting a leasing office that will be set up on the development’s proposed site.

KAI Design & Build has been contracted to serve as architect, engineer and general contractor on The Prime Place development.

For more information about The Prime Place at Wildwood Town Center, contact: Doreen Scarfino at 636-821-1400 or visit www.theprimeplacewildwood.com.

Founded in 1980, Landwide Development Corporation is a real estate development and property management firm based in St. Louis, MO. Landwide founder and managing member Michael E. Kennedy, Sr. has more than 40 years of experience in real estate and architecture, having directed the design of more than 16,000 units of multifamily housing throughout Southern and Midwestern United States.

Wiegmann Associates has completed HVAC and Building Automation System work for the new American Outdoor Brands Corporation distribution center in Columbia, MO. Wiegmann was the design/build mechanical contractor for the project. The general contractor was Ryan Companies. The architect was Heitman Architects. The new facility is expected to be in full operation this December and is estimated to create 300 jobs over the next several years.

Wiegmann engineered a new energy-efficient and cost-effective HVAC system that serves the warehouse, offices, cafeteria, employee fitness center, conference rooms and boardrooms. Multi-zone variable air volume (VAV) packaged rooftop units were designed for the office areas to minimize fan speed and fan energy consumption, when possible. Natural gas makeup air units were used to heat the warehouse.

Wiegmann also provided and installed their own Direct Digital Control (DDC) system using Delta Controls. The Building Automation System controls all HVAC equipment in the facility and will allow the owner to monitor and schedule the HVAC system remotely and maximize energy savings.

The 576,214-square-foot, single-story distribution center will house outdoor sports recreation products and firearms manufactured by American Outdoor Brands Corporation. The facility was designed to improve logistics and supply chain efficiencies and to accommodate future expansion of up to 400,000 square feet.

Wiegmann Associates is a St. Louis-based mechanical contractor and a national leader in design/build HVAC projects. Since 1995, Wiegmann Associates has engineered and installed innovative, energy saving and cost-efficient HVAC solutions, refrigeration systems and automation controls for clients. For more information, visit www.wiegmannassoc.com or call (636) 940-1056.

Holland Construction Services is currently working on a 12,000 square-foot renovation to house a new Mack Truck Service Center for Vanguard Truck Centers. The new service center will be located at 940 Harmsted Court in St. Charles, Missouri.

The nearly $1 million renovation includes both interior and exterior work. The new service center will feature a newly remodeled interior, including a lobby, parts showroom and warehouse, drivers lounge, offices, a wash bay and service bays. The exterior of the building will receive new paint, canopy and signage, along with a new parking lot, landscaping and lighting.

Senior Project Manager Steve Teipe with Holland Construction Services commented that “Holland is very excited to be constructing this project for Vanguard Truck Centers which will allow Vanguard to provide truck service to their customers from the St. Charles, Missouri area.”

Vanguard Truck Centers owns and operates full service commercial truck centers across the United States with locations in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas.

Fitzgerald & Associates out of Oklahoma City, OK is the architect on the project. Construction is scheduled to be complete this October.

Holland Construction Services is a full-service construction management, general contracting, and design/build firm based in Swansea, Ill., guided by the principle of providing our clients the best possible building experience on every project. For more information, visit Holland’s website at www.hollandcs.com.